Kasperi Kotkaniemi (born March 2, 1999)[1] is a Finnish ice hockey goaltender for Karhu HT of the Suomi-sarja.[2]

Kasperi Kotkaniemi
Born (1999-03-02) March 2, 1999 (age 25)
Pori, Satakunta, Finland
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb; 12 st 6 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
Karhu HT team
Former teams
Porin Karhu HT
Porin Ässät
Jokipojat
JHT Kalajoki
Playing career 2018–present

Kotkaniemi has played seven games in the top-tier league of Finland, Liiga, for Porin Ässät.[3][4][5]

Personal life

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Kotkaniemi's younger brother Jesperi plays as a forward in the organization of the NHL club Carolina Hurricanes and he is the Montreal Canadiens first round third draft pick from 2018.[6] The brothers' father, Mikael Kotkaniemi, played more than 200 SM-liiga games in his own career as a forward, and he later served as the head coach of the Ässät for three seasons in 2016 and 2018. Today, Mikael works as the head coach of Lukko's U20 team.[7] The brothers' grandfather is television and theater director Pentti Kotkaniemi and grandmother actress Kirsti Wallasvaara. Pentti's daughter, Mikael's half-sister and the brothers' aunt is actress Saara Kotkaniemi, who is married to musician, singer-songwriter and actor Olavi Uusivirta.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Kasperi Kotkaniemi". www.jatkoaika.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  2. ^ "Suomi-sarja | Karhu HT:n pohjoisen reissu alkoi tappiolla – Kasperi Kotkaniemi palasi porilaisten tolppien väliin". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  3. ^ "Kasperi Kotkaniemi at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  4. ^ https://www.sportti.com, Sportti com Estonia-. "Jesperi Kotkaniemen veli jättää liigajäät toistaiseksi – lähtee hakemaan vastuuta Mestiksestä | Sportti.com". sportti.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-10-16. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  5. ^ SatakunnanViikko. "Porista Pohjois-Karjalaan". www.satakunnanviikko.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  6. ^ Blades, Justin (2021-09-04). "Jesperi Kotkaniemi's offer sheet won't be matched by the Montreal Canadiens". Eyes On The Prize. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  7. ^ "Syövästä toipuvan Mikael Kotkaniemen karmea vuosi päättyi suureen iloon – "Äiti sanoi, että sinä selviät"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 2022-04-14. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  8. ^ "Olavi Uusivirta on tullut tunnetuksi sekä suomalaisena pop- että rock-muusikkona – kuunkuiskaajat.fi". 2018-09-02. Archived from the original on 2018-09-02. Retrieved 2022-10-16.